Ukraine will only join NATO as whole country, says Zelenskyy
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Ukraine will only join NATO as a whole country, ensuring that all its territories are recognized as Ukrainian, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a press conference in Kyiv on Dec. 1 after a meeting with European Council President António Costa,
A partial membership would automatically imply that other territories are not only in danger but also not Ukrainian, Zelenskyy stated.
"Therefore, Ukraine will never agree to this. If it is an invitation, then only for the entirety of all territories," Zelenskyy asserted.
However, the president noted that there is an understanding that Article 5 of the NATO Charter cannot apply to the entire territory of Ukraine during the war.
"Because countries are afraid of being drawn into the war," said Zelenskyy.
“Ukraine has never drawn anyone into this war. I mean the armies of the NATO member countries.”
The president also highlighted that there are currently many insinuations and speculations about what kind of "umbrella" NATO could provide over Ukraine.
"But we have not received any of these 'umbrellas,' any of these formats from our partners," Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader noted that if the issue of NATO countries' military involvement in the war in Ukraine is raised, half of the allies will reduce their support.
The best security guarantee for Ukraine is NATO, and the economic guarantee is the European Union, said the president.
Ukraine's NATO invitation
Ukraine's membership in NATO is the first point of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's victory plan, which he presented to European leaders in Brussels on Oct. 17.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated at a meeting of NATO defense ministers that Ukraine will become the 33rd or 34th member of the Alliance in the future. However, Politico reports that the Alliance has not yet reacted to Zelenskyy's call for membership.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said on Oct. 16 that the Alliance does not plan to invite Ukraine to join in the near future.
Ukrainian Ambassador to NATO Natalia Galibarenko told Reuters that Ukraine is diplomatically requesting NATO membership before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office.
On the other hand, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Gerald Connolly stated that Ukraine could receive an invitation to NATO only after restoring sovereignty over its territories.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on his NATO colleagues on Nov. 29 to provide Kyiv with a membership invitation the following week.
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